1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to food products and more particularly to a meat extender which may be added to ground natural meat to increase the quantity thereof or which may be consumed alone, and to a process for manufacturing said meat extender.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the world population rising at an ever increasing rate, it is becoming increasingly difficult to produce a sufficient quantity of high quality animal protein foods for human nutrition. Animal protein foods, such as beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish and milk, for example, are required for human nutrition because the amino acid components of the animal protein in these foods are directly utilized for growth and maintenance of the human body. The grains and other plant materials which are fed to slaughter and domestic animals are converted by the animals digestive and synthesizing processes into animal protein. Although attempts are being made to increase the supply of high quality animal protein foods by raising more slaughter and domestic animals, it is highly unlikely that the required quantity of animal protein foods will be obtained from these sources because of the economic problems involved in raising and feeding these animals. Similarly, attempts to increase fish production are being frustrated by a general increase in marine pollution throughout the world.
One approach to the problem posed by the shortage of high quality animal protein sources has led to scientific research relating to the conversion of plant tissues into animal tissue equivalent nutrient sources. These converted plant tissue materials are nutritionally modified by adding missing nutrients and balancing other nutrients present to provide a food which is suitable for human needs. Meat extenders, for example, have been developed for the purpose of adding them to ground meats to increase the quantity of the meats without substantially modifying the appearance, taste, texture and nutritional values of the meat. A suitable meat extender for this purpose should be capable of being added to ground meat at levels of up to 50 per cent or more by volume without substantially altering the aforementioned characteristics of the natural product. The principal plant tissue employed for prior art research has been derived from soy beans. The soy beans have been modified by various processes to spin and extrude the soy protein into meat-like products. Unfortunately, at the present time, commercially-available soy bean meat extenders have a strong "bean" flavor, an undesirable flatus producing component and amino acid imbalances which are expensive and difficult to correct.
A suitable meat extender should be derived from a relatively inexpensive and plentiful plant tissue source by means of an easily practiced process. The meat extender should also be capable of being mixed with a wide variety of meats. Accordingly, the term "meats" as used herein shall be deemed to include beef, pork, lamb, poultry, organ meats, fish and other animal tissues suitable for human consumption. The meat extender should also be capable of being modified to resemble the individual appearance, taste, texture and nutritional value of each of the aforementioned meats. Finally, a suitable meat extender should be sufficiently palatable to render it fit for human consumption without mixing it with any meat protein sources.